Sunday, December 20, 2009

Senior C


We have adopted a new curriculum in our Physical Education classes. The new curriculum has been added to our Senior classes, and has been a huge success. I am teaching one of the new curriculum classes this year and I am really enjoying it.

The seniors, when they were juniors, selected the type of PE that they wanted for their senior year. They had three choices: Senior A (traditional), Senior B (competitive), or Senior C (individual). I am gong to discuss the Senior C classes because this is what I am currently teaching.

Senior C curriculum haa been based around the development of the individual within the context of an activity. The activities that the class takes will work on their individual skill development rather that the team concept. The activities that are offered are non-competitive oriented activities.

During the year the Senior C's take two marking periods of the individual activities, one marking period of Health and one marking period of the traditional PE. The individual fall activities include activities such as, tennis, golf, fitness, and outdoor recreation games. The winter activities have included yoga, pilates, cardiovascular fitness, and Wii.

We are currently in the middle of the second marking. We have been doing yoga for 4 and a half weeks, and the class has really enjoyed it. We ended our yoga unit with a guest yoga instructor named Mr. Rick Leonard. Mr. Leonard is a Sparta resident and owns Black Bear Fitness in Jefferson, NJ. He has given our staff in-service yoga classes, and is a huge advocate of education. The picture above shows Mr. Leonard with one of the Senior C classes.

The yoga portion of the new curriculum has been a huge success. The students have enjoyed learning the physical poses, breathing, calmness, and increasing their flexibility. They have all learned Sun Salutations and many other Hotha poses. It has been a lot of fun for me as a teacher also. I have enjoyed learning yoga, and about yoga. I have also enjoyed teaching a variety of new activities in our curriculum.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Cath,

It's great to see that you are still writing here, and also to hear that you are psyched about Senior C. I know that Dan was really hoping this would take root and give both your department, and the students who were traditionally marginalized, something to get inspired about.